There's nothing wrong with crying
by bookwormgirlLH
Summary: What if Atticus was scared by Bob Ewell's threats after Chapter 22, and how would Scout and Jem react to seeing their father so terrified? Better summary inside. One shot. Please R&R!


A/N :This is set just after Chapter 22, where Bob threatens Atticus and spits in his face, but in my version, Atticus gets terrified by Bob's threats...

Don't know if this is any good, but I'm ill and totally bored, so I've written it anyways, so please R&R to tell me what you think.

* * *

Atticus couldn't believe how scary the encounter was. He had used all of his self-control to hide his fear, but when Bob Ewell spat in his face and threatened him, he was terrified that Bob was going to kill him right there, outside the post office.

But now, in the safety of his own bedroom, Atticus let the fear flood through him, curling up under his sheets and holding himself tightly. He was so scared, for him and his children, that Bob was going to hurt them, and found himself stumbling out of bed at one o'clock in the morning, and walking around the house to check that Bob wasn't there. He knew that he was being ridiculously paranoid, but was unable to stop it.

He looked through Jem's open doorway, relief keeping his paranoia at bay as he saw his son sleeping peacefully.

A few steps later, he was at Scout's door, and looked in. Scout was nowhere to be seen.

Terrified, Atticus ran down the hallway, checking every room he came to, desperately trying to find his daughter. _What if Bob Ewell's got her? _a sly voice whispered at the back of his mind. Atticus shook his head hard to make the voice disappear, but couldn't get rid of the panic pulsing through his veins and the thought that, maybe, Bob really had got her.

Pushing open the ajar bathroom door, Atticus saw Scout washing her hands in the sink, and cried out "Scout! You're safe! " as he lifted her up, hugging his daughter hard, one arm across her back and one fisting her hair. He just felt so relieved that Scout was safe that he couldn't stop a tear trickling down his cheek.

"What's wrong, Atticus?" She asked, voice muffled as she spoke into his pyjama covered chest.

"I-I'm just so pleased you're safe." He whispered, voice wavering with suppressed emotion,.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She replied, taken aback by her usually calm father's behaviour.

He sighed heavily, but put Scout down, knuckling his eyes before she looked up at him again, "It's nothing, Scout,I'm just being stupid. "

Scout didn't look convinced, "Are you sick?" She asked.

_Sick in the head, more like, _the sly voice whispered, and Atticus had to fight hard to ignore it.

"No, I'm not sick, Scout, just..." His voice tailed off, not wanting to show Scout his fear, but knowing that she was so inquisitive, she would find out the true cause of his strange behaviour anyway, "...scared." Atticus mumbled, ducking his head.

Scout climbed up onto the closed toilet seat so her eyes were level with his, "Why are you scared, Atticus?" She asked sympathetically, adopting the tone of voice he used whenever she or Jem had nightmares and called out for him in the night, resting her hands on his shoulders.

"I- I know it's idiotic of me, but I'm scared that Bob Ewell will stand by his threats and try to hurt us. I'm not worried for me, but I couldn't bear it if you or Jem were hurt." Atticus babbled, breaking down and trying to hide the flood of tears pouring from his eyes.

Scout, shocked, wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on top of her father's bowed head, "He's nothing but a useless, racist coward, Atticus, and he wouldn't have the guts to attack me and Jem - and I'd like to see him try and hurt me!"

Atticus chuckled weakly, but continued to sob.

"Come on, Atticus, let's get you back to bed." Scout said softly, still treating her father like her child, as she took his hand, leading him back to his bedroom. She layed him down and pulled the covers up to his chin, giving him a kiss on his damp cheek, tasting the salt from his tears on her lips.

Atticus layed silently until Scout reached the doorway, "Scout?" he whispered, "I'm sorry for acting so silly over nothing - you're going to make a brilliant mother one day."

"Thank you, Atticus," She said, touched, "And you're not being silly - every one is allowed to be emotional sometimes, even Atticus Finch." She smiled slightly, "There's nothing wrong with crying, Atticus - it just shows that you can actually feel things, unlike some people." She added, knowing that Atticus realised she was talking about Bob Ewell, as she walked out of the room, leaving her trembling father reeling at the incredibly mature things his young daughter had just told him, and feeling comforted by her caring words.

Even so, he lay awake for the rest of the night, and it took until dawn for Atticus to fall asleep, and even then, he was haunted by nightmares of Bob Ewell hurting his children, which made him scream in his sleep.

Scout and Jem came running at the sound of their father screaming gibberish in his sleep, climbing into the double bed either side of him and shaking him in an attemt to rouse him, so when Atticus finally jerked awake, his two children were there to reassure and sooth him - but even they couldn't get rid of the terror deep in his heart that, one day, Bob Ewell was going to get them...


End file.
